


The Sorting Hater

by discoballDust



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Childhood Friends, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Friendship, Getting Together, Hogwarts, Light Angst, M/M, Other, POV Multiple, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-06-28 12:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15707238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/discoballDust/pseuds/discoballDust
Summary: The Sorting Hat has broken up a lot of childhood friendships.  The boys adjust to their magic, peers, and life at Hogwarts.  Relationships among the houses are both tested and formed–many types of relationships, in fact.





	1. The Very First Day

**Author's Note:**

> I don't want to be a tease, so I took off all the relationship tags that have yet to appear in the story, but look at the characters and consider the opportunities!

Mizuki didn't know anybody on this train. By the time they'd arrived at Hogwarts, he planned to rectify that. That’s what he decided, but the task was still daunting. His muggle parents didn’t give him many opportunities for making connections, after all, but no matter! Since discovering he could use magic, Mizuki felt like he could do anything.   
  
Socializing? Piece of cake.   
  
...For now he’d observe. There was a lot to learn just walking past the different train compartments. He had left his trunk in a compartment with two boys quietly reading–They didn’t ask any questions when Mizuki left to explore.   
  
As he passed some older kids, he kept hearing a certain name. It was said by many people in different compartments. It was said in surprise, in impressed tones, even in whispers down the aisle. Clearly, it was a name he must remember to remember: “Atobe”. “Keigo,” he heard an older girl call him. He didn’t see the boy but heard a younger voice and its very confident laugh. From the way the others spoke to him, this Atobe character seemed to be a first year like himself– yet he was well known anyway. Mizuki made note of that, continuing further down the aisle.   
  
“Hah! Gakuto, you really suck at this.”   
  
“Ryou, you really suck at picking games. Jirou’s already asleep. I thought you said you were going to bring UNO.”   
  
Mizuki glimpsed at the two through the windowed door, slightly ajar. A destroyed pile of cards lied between them. The boy by the window had some outrageous bangs and big, dark blue eyes, clearly annoyed with the ponytail boy, who Mizuki only saw from behind. He caught a small figure on the other side of the compartment, crumpled up in a quiet, soft ball. Mizuki was careful not to linger—he didn’t want to be noticed just yet. Besides, he wasn’t interested in games, not like that, and especially not right now.   
  
When Mizuki returned to the compartment with his luggage, he wasn’t prepared to see his doppelgänger sitting with a book, blending right in with the others. Mizuki entered, speechless, and the other reading boys looked up. The one with glasses, who was sitting next to Mizuki’s imposter, dropped his book and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The other boy, Bowl Cut Kid, had his eyes closed and remained silent.   
  
Everyone waited for the boy to say something, but he just smiled.   
  
“It’s amazing magic for a first year, you must have that specialty in your family,” Bowl Cut Kid said to the sitting version of Mizuki.   
  
The kid ignored Bowl Cut, instead turning to look Mizuki in the eye. Suddenly his eyes were sparkling into a lighter blue, his hair was shining, shiny, shinier–until it had gone from black to a silver, and his face narrowed. He smiled almost naughtily, “Puri.”   
  
With that, the stillness was disrupted.   
  
The imposter grabbed the bars above, using them to leap over and behind Mizuki, disappearing down the hall. All three of the remaining boys stared outward for a few seconds before exiting in unison, only to discover that the silver trickster had vanished.

 

* * *

 

Mizuki did not return to the compartment—his train trip was taking place in the aisle, apparently. He watched two boys exit a different compartment further ahead. Is this wizard school or vampire school? The boys were unreasonably beautiful. All of these people were human, right? Mizuki remembered so from his research.    
  
“I don’t see the trolley, I told you to buy something when it was here.” A clear, bold voice came from the blond one. He had what could only be described as... a mane. Mizuki thought he was a shoe-in for Gryffindor based on aesthetic alone. His taller friend, with equally big yet black hair, turned, and in a relaxed voice said, “Wellll Kippei, I thought maybe it would come back!” He had an easy smile that killed the defensiveness of his words. Were they first years too?   
  
After watching the two boys gracefully saunter away (despite being lost), Mizuki remembered just how unfair the world could be.

 

* * *

 

 

Oishi looked around, picking a direction on his search for somewhere to sit, for his very first ride on the Hogwarts Express.   
  
Immediately before him was a wide open door to the sound of friendly conversation, and it was easy to be brought in just by passing.    
  
“Hi! I’m Eiji. This is… what are your names?” The other two grinned. Sitting across from Eiji, a kid's soft voice introduce himself as Shusuke Fuji. “This is Kojiro Saeki,” who smiled charmingly in response to his name. Eiji was sitting on his knees on the otherwise empty seat, turned toward Oishi.   
  
“Come sit with us!”   
  
Fuji and Saeki knew each other, as their families were friends. Eiji’s four older siblings already attended Hogwarts, and all of them were in Gryffindor. “I guess you didn’t want to sit with your brothers and sisters,” Saeki said after Eiji told a harrowing tale of having his toothpaste stolen— which really shouldn’t have been interesting, but was. “No way, I’ve had to deal with them all summer! And my grandparents live with us, so it’s always a lot of people. PLUS, my sisters would make fun of me if I couldn’t make my own friends.”    
  
The conversation was a lot of fun, chiefly thanks to Eiji. He was clearly one of those people that can change the mood of a room just by entering. His energy was infectious.   
  
Fuji mentioned his older sister being in Gryffindor, but other than that, nobody talked about how they’d be sorted. They traded Chocolate Frog Cards and Oishi ended up a victim of “How many jelly beans can you fit in your mouth?” The taste had been too sickening to reach a maximum, but they were all laughing hysterically.   
  


* * *

 

  
The Hufflepuff first years hadn’t gotten to know each other too well at dinner, which began instantly (like, literally within seconds) after the sorting. The older kids talked to them, of course, but after that they were too busy eating for proper introductions. Bunta Marui was very busy talking about the food, and on good merit— Hogwarts meals were amazing. Chitose, Jackal, and Oishi were focused on eating... And Akutagawa? He had just woken up. The first to be sorted, he passed out for the rest of the ceremony. He didn’t even know anyone else’s names. Akutagawa woke up to eat, though, and looked at everyone and everything very excitedly from then on.    
  
Dessert was extreme—Jackal had to physically restrain Marui from grabbing the entire cake that magicked onto the table. Akutagawa was inspired by the effort, though, and devoured pastries with mimicked enthusiasm.   
  
Oishi dared a look at the Gryffindor table. It was very loud, and Eiji (Eiji Kikumaru, he had just learned) was being lifted in protest by (probably) one of his brothers. He HAD wanted to be sorted with his new friend, but wasn’t necessarily disappointed with his placement. Surely they could stay friends? It seemed granted that Saeki, Fuji, Oishi, and Kikumaru would be pretty close after the train trip they spent together.    
  
Now Oishi had doubts. He looked at the kids in his year, and they were nice, but none of them were as attentive or inclusive as Eiji had been.   
  
The food dwindled and more than one kid was sleepy. Finally, the first year Hufflepuffs were led to their part of the castle.   
  
“Whoa, you’re huge!” Jirou Akutagawa said abruptly.   
  
Startled, a very tall kid with bushy black hair (Senri Chitose, he would learn) narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but grinned anyway.   
  
“Thanks, I think.”   
  
His new peers would find that it’s difficult to be offended by Jirou Akutagawa, especially with his wide eyed wonder and the smile constantly plastered on his face.    
  
Chitose figured, if this small cherub boy with his strawberry blond curls wasn’t as earnest as he looked, then he was Oscar worthy. And probably wouldn’t be in Hufflepuff.   
  
Bunta Marui and Kuwahara Jackal were obviously established friends, chatting between themselves in excitement as they were led to… Well, wherever they were being led to. The boy with cropped hair (he knew that his last name was Oishi) looked distracted.   
  
Akutagawa suddenly felt very tired, and thought he couldn't wait to meet his new bed.   
  
The day was finally coming to an end.


	2. The Spoon Incident

“Oh… You’ve never ridden a broom before?” a boy with a ponytail said to the kid he just met… “Choutarou” something. Apparently, he was muggle born, but had been aware of magic well before his Hogwarts letter arrived. This was very abnormal.

* * *

Choutarou Ootori found out he was a wizard when he was 8. His best friend, Wakashi Hiyoshi, was showing him a new trick.

“My parents said I’m not supposed to show you, but I told them Choutarou is my best friend.”

“So they said it’s okay?”

“No, but you are my best friend, plus it’s really amazing.”

Confident his muggle friend would be blown away by an innocent, INNOCENT display of magic, he held out his palm and placed the teaspoon flat.

The teaspoon suddenly stood. Ootori kneeled next to Hiyoshi so that his face was right in front of the spoon, which wobbled and began to dance. Brown puppy-dog eyes widened in awe.

Hiyoshi was atypical in the wizarding world–he attended muggle elementary school. His parents wanted him to be “worldly,” they offered once, when the kids were much older. Regardless, Hiyoshi was the model muggle student, and with a cool demeanor, was able to maintain a low profile among his muggle classmates.

Ootori was a good friend for him, because he was polite, didn’t ask too many questions, but still cared. He liked playing with Hiyoshi, and as they lived close by, they regularly met up at the park.

Ootori’s mouth hung and he looked up at his friend, then back at the dancing spoon. It had gone from bouncing to twirling. He stood up and faced Hiyoshi. “Can I try?”

Hiyoshi looked at his earnest friend. Poor, muggle Choutarou. He could see the crestfallen face already.

The teaspoon lie flat in Ootori’s hand. “How did you do it?” he asked.

“I had a song stuck in my head, like a music box song, and just felt something wiggly in my fingers. One day it just happened when I was eating dinner.”

Ootori closed his eyes and they were quiet. After some time, the spoon shot upright in his hand. Abruptly, the stem twisted like a screw.

Hiyoshi yelped and jumped back. The first thought in his head was, “Is this something muggles can do?” He had never seen muggle grown ups do something like this.

But then he heard music.

Just for an instant. He wasn’t even sure it really happened, but a snippet of a… flamenco? tune rang in his ear for a second.

Ootori’s eyes flew open and he smiled widely. “Did it work??? Did you see?”


	3. Summer's Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some Slytherin. It's a new year, so we have some new faces at Hogwarts.

“At the Oshitaris’ over the summer? I wasn’t invited.”

Tachibana and Chitose sat on the lawn of courtyard, the first meeting of their second year at Hogwarts. How did Chitose know about this, anyway?

“You didn’t know? I heard all the Gryffindor first years were spending the summer together.”

“Spending the summer together? ”

“Yeah, or part of the summer, but yeah.”

* * *

“I wasn’t invited either,” Eiji Kikumaru said, putting his shoes on before their last minute quidditch practice. They were all trying out for the Gryffindor team this year.

“I think it was last minute plans made during the summer. I heard from Fuji that Saeki told him that Yuushi Oshitari, who’s a Ravenclaw too, was having Shiraishi, also from Ravenclaw, stay at their family’s summer home. And that Kenya was bringing some friends too.”

Tachibana’s head raced for a second at that. Chitose said Jirou had told him. Apparently, he was the last person to know.

His feelings weren’t hurt. He did, however, find the idea of Kenya (and Yuushi) Oshitari, Shishido, and Mukahi spending the summer together pretty bizarre.

Mukahi told him about it later.

“I guess since Ryou and I live nearby it was easier to invite us? I don’t know, but a lot of people came and went. The Oshitari family is huge and really rich, turns out. Bunch of doctors. It was a nice place, Yuushi is actually really, really cool. Always made us watch the girliest movies, though. Kikumaru’s worse, though, with his anime bullshit.”

Tachibana smiled to himself. Mukahi was the only person other than teachers to call Eiji by his last name. Those two didn’t exactly get along too well, so in retrospect, it made sense that Eiji wasn’t there. He couldn’t really imagine them spending the summer in the same house.

Shishido and Mukahi fought a lot too, actually, but in a way you fight with people you know really well. They both had kind of abrasive personalities on their own– Shishido was intense and looked angry all the time. Mukahi’s resting bitch face wasn’t nearly as bad, but he was so god damn sassy with everyone. Their fighting could be annoying to listen to, but not actually problematic.

Kenya didn’t fight with anyone. He liked to race people a lot, and that was usually lots of fun. Sometimes they’d race on brooms, or they would even run across the bridge. Tachibana wasn’t as fast as everyone else, but Kenya, Eiji, Mukahi, and Shishido were all absurdly fast. Like they were in some superhuman track club or something. Tachibana didn’t lose on the broom much, though.

“Are you even listening? You look zoned out. You’re the one who asked about this, and now I’m all hyped up to talk about it, so it’s too late to back out.”

Mukahi was antsy. There weren’t a lot of people in the Gryffindor common room at the moment– most people were outside while the good weather lasted. Classes started in a just a few days.

“I apologize. Continue.”

“Right, so, it was Ryou and me and Kenya, and Yuushi brought this kid Shiraishi. You know how Kenya tells those super stupid jokes? Shiraishi has the exact same sense of humor. It was horrible. Then again, you aren’t famous for your sense of humor either, so maybe I shouldn’t be telling you.”

Tachibana frowned. “Wow.”

“I’m just teasing! Kind of. You DO have a sense of humor. Deep down. I know it. Anyway. Ooh look, first years.”

Three newly-sorted first year boys rambled through the other side of the common room. Two of them were fighting pretty loudly, and a 5th year was telling them to shut up. The other one had red hair covering one eye, and appeared a bit fidgety, tapping his foot. Almost as restless as Mukahi. Gryffindor had a lot of people like that, Tachibana reflected.

“RIGHT, anyway, so get this–Shishido found a baby chick, who imprinted on him like his mother.”

“What?”

“Not really, but basically these two kids, now they’re first years, they were staying nearby and ended up hanging out with us the whole time. One of them, and it’s funny because he’s like this really sweet kid– he stuck to Ryou like glue. We made fun of him a lot, you should too.”

Tachibana thought he’d probably pass on that. “How the hell did that happen? Doesn’t he generally scare kids?”

“Well, that’s the thing. He wasn’t scared of Ryou at all. Even though Ryou was all yelling and ‘rahhhh’ and ‘dumbass’ etc., the kid’s friend was even scarier… He gut-punched him.”

Mukahi stood up, smiling with his mouth open, in shock. Why? Because Tachibana was laughing .

“A kid punched Shishido?”

“Yes!!! And hard, too! It was hilarious.” Their laughter grew, turning heads and piquing curiosity throughout the common room. A first year girl walked over confidently to join them.

“I wanna hear!”

“Ah, Gakuto, this is my little sister An. An, this is Gakuto Mukahi.” She grabbed Mukahi’s hand in a firm shake before dropping it loosely. “Can I hear the story too?”

“I… Okay, sure.” A crowd was slowly gathering. Shishido was going to kill him. Even those first years had stopped fighting.

“Okay let me explain these kids. Their names are Wakashi Hiyoshi and Choutarou Ootori.” At that, the first years murmured. An thought back to the sorting.

“Hiyoshi is the scary one, and he’s apparently some martial arts expert!

"Choutarou is the duckling innocent one except he’s almost your height,” he referred to Tachibana, “which is probably why Ryou didn’t scare him in the first place.

"So Choutarou stepped on Ryou’s broom, and he didn’t know anything about flying or brooms, he’s muggle born, see, but we didn’t know that yet… And Ryou was all Ryou about it, super mad, ‘hey don’t break it stupid, what do you think you’re doing,’ and just went OFF on the kid.

"So this Hiyoshi kid is completely silent, and just walks up to him without saying ANYTHING, Ryou’s still yelling even-“

A lot of eyes were on Mukahi now, so he paused for dramatic effect.

“So the kid makes this really weird stance and then PUNCHES him, just SLAMS his fist into Ryou’s stomach!” Mukahi pantomimed Shishido getting blown backwards, basking in the laughs. “Just absolutely knocks the breath out of him.”

“I bet that shut him up,”

“Oh it totally did,” said a laughing voice behind them– Kenya. But his smile faded awkwardly.

“Uh oh,” muttered Tachibana. The second year boys all went silent, watching an angry ponytail zoom toward the stairs and stomp up to the dormitory. The chuckles were now whispers. “Is that him?" An whispered to her brother, standing next to the chair he was sitting in. “Yeah that’s Shishido. I guess I should probably fear for my life a little bit, huh?” Mukahi replied somewhat solemnly. A residual burst of laughter escaped. “It was really funny though. I’m gonna go before he comes back, seeya Tachibanas, Kenya.”

Mukahi quickly exited through the portrait hole.

Before Tachibana could say anything to An, she read his mind. She subtly waved the first year boys over. They approached kind of awkwardly.

“This is my brother, I promise he’s not as scary as he looks!” Tachibana figured that talking to his sister was probably way scarier, from the looks they had on their faces. He smiled warmly at each of them and held out a hand. “I’m Kippei Tachibana. Welcome to Gryffindor.”

The least apprehensive looking kid with spiky black hair grabbed his hand naturally. “Thanks, I’m glad to be here! My name is Momo. Um, Takeshi Momoshiro, but just call me Momo. This is the Viper!” He gestured to the kid on his left. The redheaded tapping kid on his right looked down and raised his eyebrows, and Tachibana swore he heard him sigh.

The Viper immediately shoved Momoshiro and in a gravelly voice, uttered curses. As Momo started to fight back, An diffused the situation with a mere, “Um…”

Tachibana had to respect her style. The boys immediately stood to attention.

“The Viper is an awesome name. What’s your real name?” Kenya had returned from chatting with a third year to lean on the back of Tachibana’s chair. The kid finally looked up and made eye contact with Kenya, and said roughly, “Kaoru. Kaoru Kaidoh, and not Viper, don’t listen to that idiot.” He looked away again.

Probably to avoid more fighting, that third kid cut in urgently. He grabbed Tachibana’s still outstretched hand, and said,

“I’m Akira Kamio. Is it true you guys have races?” he said almost desperately. “You should ask Kenya,” Tachibana turned to look up, introducing Kenya Oshitari. Kamio’s eyes flung up hungrily. He finally remembered to let go of the handshake. Kenya was quiet with a very, very smug grin. “You want to challenge the speed star, eh?”

* * *

An appeared and hugged her brother tight, later that evening.

“What was that for?” he grinned, though, eyes still on the robes he was brushing grass off. It had been a particularly rowdy race earlier.

“Because it’s amazing, I’m finally here, and I’m in Gryffindor. Everyone’s really cool, I’m so glad I’m finally at Hogwarts, and I can’t wait to meet all your friends and see Senri.”

A lot of people didn’t get along with their siblings. Even the Kikumaru tribe, though they got along, still annoyed each other and teased among themselves. He and An had always been close, probably because they were so close in age. She seemed so much less like an 11 year old to him than the other kids her age, but recalled that they had both been called mature throughout their childhoods.

He had a lot of respect for An and vice versa. Some people would find it embarrassing to admit, but his sister was his best friend. Well, and Senri. But Chitose’s presence in his life had been much scarcer since they came to Hogwarts.

“I’m glad you’re here too. You’ll love it. What do you think of those boys in your year?” he gave her a simple, mild look.

“Hmmm. They’re definitely an interesting bunch. Hopefully we’ll be good friends.” Classic. An always wanted to be friends with everyone.

“What about the other girls?”

“It’s like having a sleepover every day. Fun, but weird, since I’ve never lived with girls. They’re a lot different from you, but you spend more time on your hair,” she teased. He sent her sharp eyes but couldn’t deny his grooming habits.

“I’m going to sleep. I love you! And I love Hogwarts!” An said, acting her age for once before heading to her dormitory. “Good night,” he grinned, getting sleepy. He was proud of her. It was good to have his friend back.

* * *

Kite cornered a stoic first year in the Slytherin common room several days later. “Is it true?” he asked, leaning in somewhat invasively. Hiyoshi blinked up at him. Who was this guy again? It was hard keeping track of the people who didn’t constantly introduce themselves, like Atobe. And his new roommate, Akaya Kirihara.

“Is what true?” he returned to his homework, which, unlike most other first years, he attempted alone.

He refused to be intimidated by someone just because they were older.

“About you and that Gryffindor second year.”

Kite now had Hiyoshi’s attention. He was the third person to ask about “beating up that second year,” but the first outside of Gryffindor.

The Gryffindors may be loud, and they all seemed to know about it, but apparently they didn’t rat out their own.

“Mizuki told me,” Kite read his mind. “That guy knows too much. Kind of a stalker, but a useful comrade.” Did this guy just say comrade?

Before Hiyoshi could protest (mostly to avoid his best friend Choutarou Ootori’s Sad Face, which would certainly be the result of his new idol’s public humiliation), Kite got to the point. “I don’t care about that guy, you probably caught him off guard anyway. I want to talk about martial arts.”

* * *

“I think it’s the first time in my life anyone has said that to me.” Hiyoshi said to Ootori very dryly.

“Well Wakashi, even I didn’t know about it! I mean, I found out about magic before I found out about your family’s dojo…” Ootori definitely had a point.

It’s not like Hiyoshi talked to many muggle kids they went to school with anyway. Ootori hadn’t asked about it because he found out organically– after the spoon incident, he was hanging around the Hiyoshi home all the time. Plus, if he had told the muggle kids, they’d probably want to show up. That would have been a disaster.

“So what did he say after that?” Ootori looked up from the Defense Against the Dark Arts essay they were both working on. The school’s massive library was quiet around them, giant bookshelves insulating murmured conversations at the many scattered tables.

“He wants to spar.”

Ootori looked excited– “That’s SO cool! It sounds like a good opportunity to stay in practice. You should do it! I mean, if you want to.”

Hiyoshi shrugged. “Yeah, I might, but who knows what he’ll do when I beat him. Not that I’m scared of him… He’s just kind of strange.” Ootori nodded attentively. Hufflepuff had strange second years too, but Ootori liked them.

“The problem is, Choutarou, that I don’t want to spar in front of the whole school, but I’m not sure where to go.”

“Hmm… Well what’s the Slytherin common room like?”

“Absolutely not.”

Ootori nodded, accepting that. “Well you could go where I play… But it might be hard to set up. This fifth year Ravenclaw helped me get the space and I’m not sure how he’d feel, I don’t want to do anything without his permission. He was so nice to help me find a place to practice, especially with a piano.”

Hiyoshi was curious. “How do you know a fifth year Ravenclaw?”

Ootori scratched his forehead. “Well, I was asking the librarian if they had any sheet music… For violin of course, and, I guess he heard me, because he came up to me! He was really friendly and said he had a practice place if I needed one, since there isn’t any kind of orchestra and wizards don’t really play instruments. When I told him I missed playing piano, he got me one! I think with some advanced magic,” Ootori smiled gratefully. Maybe he has a new idol, Hiyoshi thought, almost in relief. “He plays jazz though, and I don’t know too much or if he plays alto sax or–“

“Choutarou, you know I don’t know anything about music.” Hiyoshi had a sort of desperate look.

Ootori smiled, “Right. But I can ask him about the space if you’d like!”

Choutarou Ootori made a very good friend. “That would be nice. Thank you.” Ootori read through the classic Hiyoshi deadpan and saw the genuine appreciation.

The two boys from two very different houses finally got to focusing on their essays.


	4. Autumn Leggy Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuushi and Gakuto, with a dash of silver pair and golden pair

The kid had gotten taller. That was the first thing Shishido noticed when he saw Choutarou in the library, finally, two months into the school year. He was standing a few bookcases away from the Hufflepuff first year, but could clearly see he’d been surpassed in height. “Choutarou–“ he didn’t hear Shishido, or see him, and suddenly some older kids had descended on the younger boy.

“I guess he’s too popular for you now.”

Shishido spun around. Yuushi. Gakuto’s sass had been rubbing off on him lately. “Aren’t you going to ask? Who that is, that stole your first year?” Yuushi Oshitari had a smug smile but tried to compensate with innocent, blinking eyes. Gakuto pulled that off a lot better. Shishido opened his mouth to protest, but heard a voice from the other direction, “Shishido! Oshitari!” Who was saying his name? It wasn’t Choutarou. He turned around to see one of the older kids approaching, “Fifth year, Ravenclaw, Kanata Irie,” Yuushi whispered before anyone was in earshot.

Shishido saw Choutarou turn around in surprise at his name and smile. “Shishido!” He waved, then continued talking to the other kids. He was pretty popular. Good for him.  Arriving before Shishido and Yuushi was a strawberry blond kid, one who definitely didn’t look like a fifth year. Who the hell was this rando and why did he know Shishido?

Yuushi did the honors. “Irie, this is Ryou Shishido. Shishido, this is Kanata Irie.” Shishido nodded.

“Ootori has told me about you.” He smiled with buckets of charm. Shishido tried not to be suspicious.

“You haven’t been playing with us lately, Oshitari. Your violin surely weeps.” This guy seemed pretty extra, but apparently there was an edge of humor there, based on Yuushi’s knowing expression. “I haven’t had much time lately. Priorities, you know.” Yuushi spoke very smoothly. “It was nice to officially meet you!” Irie said, leaving. “You should work on the Gershwin,” he said to Choutarou, who twisted back as they exited, waving goodbye.

Yuushi wasn’t smiling anymore, he looked serious... genuine. He said, “You know… It’s okay to miss your friend.”

Shishido shrugged. “I’m glad he’s making friends.”

Yuushi looked at him for a moment. “Alright.” He said, still genuine, and went back to the romance section.

* * *

Gakuto wasn’t in the library today. And he wasn’t with Shishido, because Shishido was here. Where else would he be? Outside, probably. Doing something energetic. Yuushi thought maybe he should go watch. No, he really wanted find a new book so he could read it before bed. Hmm, too bad. Yuushi got bored a lot, and Gakuto usually made things more fun. Well, sometimes he was really pissy. But that could be fun too. In the end, he gathered his things and left to search.

To Yuushi, searching for Gakuto meant being in the right place and waiting for him to show up. He found a strategically located tree in the usual courtyard, and picked up his nearly-finished novel. He sat in the grass against the tree, opening his robes out under him for a better blanket. And he read.

Far in front of him, on the other side of the lawn, cartwheels (successfully) grabbed his attention. He pretended not to notice. A familiar and endlessly impressive series of flips continued until the perpetrator was right before him. He tried not to smile and didn’t look up from his book. “Hello, Gakuto.”

“You could at least pretend to be impressed, I threw in some new ones.” Yuushi didn’t look up yet, “I’ve seen all of your moves, so I didn’t watch,” he lied. Gakuto stood next to the tree and tapped on Yuushi’s head like a drum. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Geez. Being boring. You’re making ME bored just looking at you. Fix it. Tell me a story.”

Yuushi glanced up, and was rewarded with the silly pout he expected. He returned to his book. “Hmmm” he said, as if he was considering it. Gakuto pulled on his hair a little. “Focus on your friends and get out of your own little world.”

“You’re a very demanding friend. I was here reading in peace before you showed up, you know,” Yuushi said, smiling. He still had his book open, but hadn’t turned the page in a while.

Suddenly Gakuto plopped down on his friend's knees. Ah, he was resorting to this tactic now. Yuushi already thought of a countermeasure, and today he could finally try it out. Gakuto was sitting, legs out straight, with his weight across Yuushi’s knees. It was uncomfortable, but not uncomfortable enough to care. Yuushi turned a page, unflinching. 

Gakuto changed gears, swinging a leg around to sit on his knees, straddling his friend. “Yuuuuuushi!” Gakuto whined, bringing a fist down above the unreactive Ravenclaw’s forehead.

Now. Yuushi slowly, carefully closed his book and set it down next to him. Gakuto starting grinning at his success, waiting for Yuushi to look up.

What Gakuto didn’t expect happened in an instant–long arms wrapped his waist, pulling his body flat, tight against Yuushi’s, in one hard, swift motion that even lifted his knees off the ground. Gakuto let out an embarrassing yelp, and soon the warmth was gone from his front, gangly hands were on his waist, and he was being ticked ferociously.

“Stop! Yuushi- “ he was rolling away, “hahaha”-ing unstoppably, embarrassed at his own laugh-more embarrassed, because it made Yuushi start laughing too. Gakuto rolled on the ground, desperately wrapping his own arms around himself, trying to protect his sides from merciless tickling. His protests only came out in shudders, his blind kicks aimed in all directions. Eventually he kicked off his assailant.

“What the hell, Oshitari!” he whined, catching his breath, standing a safe distance from Yuushi and the tree. Yuushi imitated Gakuto’s earlier high pitched laugh, or at least tried to. He interrupted himself with his own loud laughs. “Shut up, asshole!” Gakuto was blushing, which made him more angry, and he looked like he was about to do something. “No! It’s cute,” Yuushi said defensively. If it was supposed to make Gakuto feel better, then he shouldn’t laugh while saying it.

“Maybe now you’ve learned your lesson.” Yuushi taunted, gesturing with his book in his hand. “Screw you.” Yuushi hoped that he hadn’t learned his lesson, though. Tickling Gakuto was fun, his stupid cute laugh was hilarious. Yuushi intended to tease him about it regularly. Sitting a safe distance away, Gakuto held his knees and rolled backwards idly. He can never just stay still. Yuushi respected that about his friend– it was never boring with Gakuto Mukahi around.

* * *

Even though it was getting colder, the second years were spending more and more free time in the courtyards. It was a place anyone could meet up (despite their houses), and the space was good for all the energetic kids’ needs. Their friends could hang out too, remixing muggle card games into magic versions.

“Hey I have a plan,” Gakuto whispered. Intrigued, Yuushi turned to him. Was it a plan to mess with everyone? Probably. Shifty eyes said yes. “What can I do?” Yuushi offered coolly, quietly. After receiving more whispers, he threw his head back and flashed his teeth in a silent laugh. “Got it.”

The two boys didn’t want to attract attention, so they stood up and gathered their things, pretending they were about to leave. Suddenly both of them dropped everything. “T-pose!” Gakuto immediately stuck his arms out rigidly. Yuushi leaned down to hook his elbows under Gakuto’s arms and started spinning.

It was easier than he expected, since Gakuto was shorter and lighter than him, he came off the ground pretty easily, immediately bracing Yuushi’s forearms with his own in a deadly tight squeeze. Spinning was easy, but relocating to attack their friends was a bit harder, especially before they could escape. In the end, Yuushi had to stop spinning fast and did only a few turns to run closer to his cousin, Shishido, and Shiraishi, who were still in the process of standing. Gakuto was laughing, half maniacally as his legs made impact, and half out of the sheer enjoyment of being spun around.

Once everyone was out of range, they watched laughing. “How long can you go?” Kenya asked his cousin. “I’m good,” Yuushi lied, aware that his defensive tone was giving him away. He increased speed. Gakuto started yelling, his nails digging into his friend’s forearms, as their audience laughed. Yuushi very quickly lost his balance. Failing to stop spinning in time, he crashed to the ground on top of his smaller friend.

Now everyone was really laughing. Yuushi was too dizzy to move, despite muffled protests of being crushed. He released Gakuto’s arms and let him squirm out. Gakuto Mukahi stepped on Yuushi’s back, raising a fist in triumph, still swaying from the fading momentum of their circus act. “I did it!” he exclaimed. “I think Yuushi did most of it,” Shishido pointed out.

Eiji Kikumaru and Hufflepuff Oishi Shuichiro had shown up during the madness and Eiji was bouncing in Oishi’s face. “Come on, I wanna try, let’s do it!” Before Oishi could voice his obvious apprehension, Eiji turned and T-posed before him expectantly. Oishi’s uncertainty vanished, he shrugged in compliance, and scooped Eiji up. “Am I heavy?” Eiji asked as the spin got started, more slowly, because he wasn’t as short as Mukahi. “Is it safe to answer that?”

Oishi laughed. Eventually he gained momentum, and Eiji’s legs were swinging around too, and he was laughing, eyes closed, shouting “faster, faster!” They didn’t last as long as the other duo, but collapsed laughing anyway. Eiji lying backwards on his very accommodating friend. “That was fun. But my armpits hurt now.” Oishi’s laughter under him shook him. “Ahh it’s like an earthquake!” they both laughed harder. Eiji stood up, reaching his hand down for his friend’s. Oishi took it and got pulled up. Eiji was looking at him with sparkly eyes and a great big smile, and Oishi felt a little stab in his lower chest. He shook it off. As usual.

Gakuto stood and watched, feeling Yuushi’s back rise with breaths beneath his feet. He took his shoes off and stood back on his friend. “Does it hurt?” he asked, not actually caring. Yuushi’s eyes were closed and his arms were folded, hands under his face. “Mmmmm. No, it’s kind of nice.” He had been enjoying hearing the laughter and activity around them. Once again, Gakuto has totally altered the environment.

Gakuto started kneading his feet into the back beneath them. “Higher,” he was instructed mumbly. Gakuto tried to walk between the shoulder blades and stood on them at a weird angle. “Can you breathe?”

“Yeah.”

Gakuto stepped between his shoulder blades and balanced on one foot. He stretched his other leg behind him and grabbed it, then put it back. Unsure what to do next, he rocked back and forth on his heels, testing his balance. Yuushi groaned. “Yeah. Right there. Yessss.”

Had Kenya or Shishido been there, they would have said, “Wow, Yuushi, that moaning sounds incredibly creepy with your voice,” but they weren’t. Someone had started a dance off with different objects they had charmed to move, so there was nobody to pay attention to them. Gakuto walked to the bottom of Yuushi’s rib cage. He paused, and jumped. “OOF,” Gakuto chuckled before stepping off. He sat down, still on Yuushi’s back. “Are you sleeping?” “Mm.” Clearly not, since someone just jumped on his back. Yuushi turned his head to the other side, getting comfortable. “You’re warm,” he mumbled. “Spinning was hard. I did all the work. Nap time.” The ground was warm from the sun, and the pressure from Gakuto on top of him was relaxing. He really was falling asleep.

“Hmm I guess I can play Jirou,” Gakuto said quietly. He curled up beside Yuushi, using his back as a pillow. Soothed by the warm sun and the rhythm of his pillow-person’s deep breaths, Gakuto soon drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up next: Atobe gets invited to the prefect bathroom on the 5th floor.


	5. Hogwarts Celebrity Keigo Atobe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has at least heard of the Slytherin second year, Keigo Atobe– even the fresh first years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Psych, this chapter isn't really about Atobe at all, but sort of, kind of. The first years are better introduced and other shenanigans occur. The next one features him heavily– it's definitely Slytherin centric, and it's ready to be posted as well! So! Thanks for reading :)

“Oh yeah. Atobe. People are always talking about him. Why does anyone even about him? Apparently he’s this big deal. But basically he showed up and declared himself king.” Marui said between bites of dessert, sidetracked, explaining things to the new Hufflepuff first years.

Jirou Akutagawa was awake.

* * *

At the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall, Renji Yanagi lowered his head. He was collecting information. Everyone was different after the summer, not to mention all the new first years. There was a lot to do. He focused on the Slytherin table. Out of habit, he almost tuned out Hajime Mizuki’s voice, because he almost exclusively said things that Yanagi already knew. But Mizuki was talking about Atobe, and Atobe wasn’t there, so it might be juicy.

“Yeah, he was the first, first year to make the quidditch team in over a decade. And Slytherin took the cup last year, and he was amazing. They're talking about making him captain this year.” Mizuki talked in a condescending tone appropriate for a primary school teacher–one that could only be tolerated by first years. “I bet I’m better!” Yanagi heard a fiery young voice from one of the new Slytherins. The kid had wild dark hair and big burning green eyes. It was like he was radiating intensity. Hiyoshi, the first year sitting next to him, looked like he found the nuclear reactor kid a little stressful. Akaya Kirihara was his name, Yanagi remembered.

“Hey. Shiraishi.”    
Kuranosuke Shiraishi, his fellow second year Ravenclaw, turned to meet his eyes; Yes?   
"Where’s Atobe?”

All of the second years turned to search except for Hiroshi Yagyuu. He was looking across the great hall, into a shadowy corner, watching a silver haired boy take Keigo Atobe’s appearance. He couldn’t answer that question.

At the nearby Slytherin soon after, “Atobe” appeared, and basked in the admiration of his new first year fans. It’s not him, he wanted to say to Yanagi, who he knew was mentally taking notes. It’s not even him! He should tell his friend. He should. But he knew the metamorphagus kid trusted him not to, because this had happened before, and Yagyuu liked being in on the secret–especially if he could continue witnessing the shifts.

The boy, a Slytherin known as Niou, didn’t make eye contact once. He played his role perfectly, and properly, and Yagyuu deduced that this must be an assignment. Atobe had other places to be, apparently.

* * *

“I don’t want to be friends with you.”

First year Gryffindor, the younger Tachibana, An, was in rare form: speechless. She composed herself as Zaizen continued. At least he wasn’t going to make her ask why. “Honestly, I don’t trust you. You can’t keep secrets, I’ve heard your friends talk about it. And I don’t want Gryffindor knowing all my business.” He was stacking up his books. This guy doesn’t hold back. An narrowed her eyes at him and chose her next words carefully.

“You want to know all of Gryffindor’s business, though, don’t you?” she accused.

Zaizen turned and looked at her coldly. 

“That’s my business.” He gathered his things and left.

An breathed to herself in the slowly emptying charms classroom. She fought back tears. What a cold revelation. She never told anyone things that someone asked to keep secret. Well maybe her brother, but not every time. And he had discretion. How was she supposed to know? And what the hell was with this kid? What a jerk. Who says “I don’t want to be friends!” She had only asked him about his trick with the butterflies. She saw him do it for the last few charms classes and wanted him to show her how. Yeah, she could have wanted to be friends with him, but how presumptuous of him to assume it like that.

She did not like this guy. But An was stubborn. She’d make him be friends with her.

* * *

“Is he the one who never stops talking to himself?” Momoshiro asked, shoving his lunch into his mouth. “Stop talking with your mouth full, moron. And no. That’s the other Ravenclaw kid.” Momo glared at Kaidoh but prioritized his meal.

“Ohh, I know him. His name is Ibu I think. I stood next to him in Herbology one day, and listening to him I learned so much about him. I think I made myself forget, though. Some of it was funny, but it was a little haunting overall.” Kaidoh and Momo just stared at their finger-drumming roommate Kamio, squinting, trying to figure out what he meant.

Yuuta Fuji turned back to An. “You’re talking about Zaizen, I remember. The one with the butterfly charm.” An nodded. “I think he’s always grumpy, I heard he misses the internet a lot.” The internet, huh? Mostly a muggle thing, but they all knew about it. “I know Saeki… my brother’s friend, he’s a Ravenclaw second year… He was telling him that anything you can find on the internet could probably be found in the library, and owls were really efficient for communicating. But Zaizen said that’s not what he used it for,” Yuuta shrugged. “That’s all I really know, though.” He frowned and crinkled his eyebrow. “Still, I can’t believe he said that to you with a straight face. That’s messed up.” An just shook her head distractedly.

“Hey, guys, don’t tell my brother about this.” They all stopped talking and looked at her, then each other, then back to her. And they nodded.

* * *

“Did you see all those guys just look at her and nod in unison?” Kirihara jeered, a little too loudly. He was using a wand to move his fork and feed himself, and it wasn’t going very well. “Maybe you should focus and stop getting food on everyone around you,” Hiyoshi deadpanned, scooting away. He didn’t care about some Gryffindor girl. He didn’t get it, anyway. He didn’t think she was all that great. Way too friendly.

He was really getting sick of Kirihara. Kite was cool, they would spar a few times a week, and Atobe was pretty cool… But everyone else he knew in Slytherin was a little questionable. Fuji was too polite and he couldn’t read him. Mizuki was a joke. Niou was… Somewhere. Kind of anticulture.

But Akaya Kirihara? His room mate, classmate, and a constant presence? Hiyoshi thought Kirihara was batshit crazy.

Feeling a little forlorn, he looked to the Hufflepuff for Ootori. He wasn’t hard to find, being so tall and sitting next to that Chitose guy, who was even taller. That boy Bunta Marui and his hair were both loud, so they stood out. Ootori was writing or drawing or something, probably only pretending to pay attention. They hadn’t really hung out in awhile. Ootori had gotten pretty involved with the music kids, and seemed increasingly busier. Hiyoshi sighed and stood up. He motioned at Kite a few seats down. Kite walked over. “You ready?” Hiyoshi gave him a nod and gathered his things, and Kirihara looked up at Kite with eyes like fireworks. “Ooooh. Can I come watch?!”

“No. Fuck off.” And they left to practice their martial arts.

* * *

Senri Chitose showed up at dinner a little late, and he looked like he was about to sit at the Gryffindor table instead of the Hufflepuff table. “Cheeto,” Jackal called out to him over the ruckus, with an urgent wave. Turned and alert, Chitose approached more confidently and sat next to him.

“Dude,” Jackal whispered.   
“What’s up?” Chitose said very tranquilly, with no eye contact, after a strange pause.   
“You seem a little off. Did you get into something weird at the greenhouse?”

Chitose turned to him. Then, this piece of work, he smoldered at him. What an honor. Jackal rolled his eyes. That was Chitose’s famous move, of renown and admiration of Hogwarts girls abound. The worst part was that Jackal couldn’t interpret the answer. Was he affected by something? Or was he just acting mysterious? It was hard to tell. What a cryptic guy.

“It was an accident,” Chitose said a few minutes later, in between the piles of food he was shoveling into his mouth. “I inhaled some spores from this funny fungy fungus I was playing with.” “RIGHT,” Jackal teased back, accidentally talking with his mouth full. Mistake. He started choking, beating the table because he couldn’t swallow. Chitose started beating the table too. Somehow it caught on across the Hufflepuff table and soon, the entire Great Hall was beating their hands on their tables at a steady rhythm, and nobody knew why. Jirou woke up. “Whoa,” his face blossomed at the exciting energy around him. Everyone still beat on the tables, laughing nervously at each other, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, someone snapped, and it echoed, and everything was silent.

It was a second year. Keigo Atobe. He had snapped his fingers and silenced the entire great hall. Was it magic? Was his snap just really that loud? Eyes slowly found him, but he had simply brought his arm down and went to continue his conversation with the girls next to him. Slowly voices filled the hall once more.

Jackal looked at Chitose. He burst out laughing, and so did Jackal, and that,    
friends,   
is the true magic;   
the magic   
of friendship.

* * *

Atobe was seldom surprised at getting special treatment. Even so, being invited to the prefect’s bathroom caught him off guard. He wasn’t a prefect. Also, who invites someone to bathe like that?

“I didn’t mean bathe… With me…” Right, random sixth year whose name Atobe did not know, which was fine. Mizuki would.

“Sorry, let me clarify. I’m not trying to be creepy. It just seemed like something someone from your background would be interested in, from what my dad told me,” Ah. That’s where this was coming from. “It’s a lot nicer than the normal baths, and quidditch captains and head boys use it as well, so you’d have been told about it anyway, and–“

Atobe thought about it later, and decided it’d be best to take someone with him. He laughed at himself– guess that meant he’d be inviting someone to bathe.

* * *

Ootori sat on a couch in the Hufflepuff common room, doing his homework. Curled light hair was rising slowly, Jirou was asleep next to him. He had been in his lap at first, but Ootori kindly asked if he could move to make space for his books. He didn’t wake up though, when asked, so the taller kid had gently pushed him aside.

Ootori didn’t mind the cuddling. Jirou was basically Hufflepuff’s pet cat. He would nap on everyone, and everyone knew he was great to curl up with if you’d had a bad day. He looked like a little sleeping angel with fluffy hair to pet. Jirou had pet Ootori’s hair a lot, as it was pretty fluffy too. A lot of the first years thought it was funny, because Jirou was older than them. Everyone thought of him pretty affectionately, though.

Ootori was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas, and from the sound of it, scarcely anyone else was. Someone like Choutarou Ootori, of course, didn’t want to spend Christmas alone. Everyone else he was close with was going home.   
He sighed quietly and turned the page of his reading. He had a test coming up. Think about it another time.

* * *

Choutarou and Shishido finally spoke, at the end of November shortly before their end of term tests. Shishido thought it might be awkward when he first addressed his summer playmate… He had been in the library looking for a place to sit and found Choutarou alone at one of the tables, in its own spot between bookshelves. Carrying some books on aquatic plants, it happened to be the first spot he found.

But it wasn’t awkward, because the surprise that registered after Choutarou looked up was so brief, and the warmest, face-wide smile took its place.

Catching up was effortless. They struggled to keep their laughter quiet as forced coughs warned them behind the walls of bookshelves.

“You know what’s cool? We talk like no time has passed.” Choutarou smiled as he spoke, “Like summer was yesterday.”   
He laughed nervously. “Chitose says aquarians are like that.” He blurted, leaving no space for a response. Shishido shook off his blush at such an earnest and cheesy statement. So lame, but he couldn’t call him out on it now. Instead he responded to that second part, too thoughtlessly.   
“I’m a libra. So. What else does Chitose say?”   
“He mostly talks about compatibility between like.. family, and friends, and other stuff. He’s done probably half of Hufflepuff’s birth charts.”   
“What’s compatibility like between aquariuses and libras?” Shishido asked without thinking, again, and trying not to wince at another super cheesy line. Choutarou’s soft demeanor was occasionally contagious.   
“Really good actually. We’re both-um, they’re both air signs, too.”

Choutarou looked at Shishido. He pressed his lips together in a wide line, a silly look, and the two boys erupted, once again, into poorly muffled laughter.

The more they talked, the more concern Shishido felt about this uncommonly kind boy spending Christmas alone. Seriously? What kind of heartless monster would he be if he let a friend suffer like that? Choutarou had been in tears talking about it.

“Okay, quit, you don’t have to cry, I’ll stay for Christmas too.”

Choutarou just cried more, and Shishido raised his eyebrows in exasperation. “What? Don’t make such a big deal, I wouldn’t have done anything at home anyway.” The first year sniffled through a flurry of “are you sure?”’s before Shishido finally quieted him, through further eye rolling reassurance.

“You’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” Choutarou smiled with big sparkling puppy eyes.

Shishido could only throw his head back and laugh. Nobody had ever said that before, and probably never would again. Choutarou Ootori. What a funny guy.


	6. Room Hates

Akaya Kirihara's roommate didn’t seem very friendly. Kirihara, chatty by nature, didn’t have much luck with Hiyoshi. Hiyoshi even said underhanded things to him sometimes. What a wet rag of a person, Kirihara thought to himself.

They were friends though, still. They had to be. After all, they were together all the time, so it made sense.

Friends or not, however, something weird happened one night .  
Kirihara was in their room getting ready for bed when Hiyoshi walked in. He just stared at Kirihara, standing in the doorway.  
Kirihara looked up and almost gasped in shock at how… _soft_ Hiyoshi's eyes were. His eyes were almost always narrowed as if annoyed. Hiyoshi’s resting bitch face was famous.  
But now they were… Sparkling, almost. Soft, but very warm, like a fireplace, sort of.

And they were looking right at Kirihara.  
Even his mother didn't look at him like this. Nobody ever looked at him like this, and it made his heart beat really fast, and it felt like his stomach was sinking just a little.  
" Wh- What's going on? Did something happen?" Maybe it was good news. Maybe his friend would actually talk tonight.  
" I-" Hiyoshi stopped, apparently at a loss for words, stepping in slowly. He never took his eyes off Kirihara's.  
"Akaya."

Huh. It was weird hearing his own name in that moment, like when you forget your name is your name until someone else says it and you're like _whoa, that's me._ Maybe it’s because it sounded foreign in that particular voice.  
Unsure, Kirihara waited as Hiyoshi approached, before he was paralyzed by words.

“You’re amazing.” Hiyoshi said, voice breaking. He stopped in front of him and gulped, finally looking away, to the side. “Um. You are really… special.” He swallowed again, bringing back his eyes. “To me.” Hiyoshi added in a smaller, lower voice.

 _What?_ Kirihara knew something was up for sure when Wakashi Hiyoshi started smiling at him. He almost looked nervous, even.

“I am special! But in a good way.” Hiyoshi’s smile reached his eyes. Kirihara had never seen Hiyoshi act this nicely, but he was glad to finally get some appreciation. His roommate was finally paying attention to him, and somewhere between that smile and fingers suddenly grazing his jaw, he forgot to be suspicious.

Thinking back, Kirihara didn’t know much about the other Slytherin boy in his year. Maybe touching his face was a cultural thing? But Kirihara’s stomach felt weird. Surely Hiyoshi wasn’t performing magic on him. He clearly wasn’t holding a wand.  
Hiyoshi stepped back, wrapping an arm around his bedpost. “I want to be with you.”

Finally. Maybe he wouldn’t be so moody whenever they were together now. Without Hiyoshi’s cold, cold eyes to stop him, Kirihara spoke freely. He chuckled first. “This whole time, I worried maybe you didn’t.” Hiyoshi looked hurt at the accusation, before realizing the implication. He stepped back in front of Kirihara, grabbing his wrists.  
Akaya Kirihara felt the stare reach deep into his soul. The pleading, hopeful… vulnerability, in eyes that had never been warm before, was intoxicating.  
Kirihara met those eyes with his own,  wide and full of nervous wonder. He had stopped thinking. Hands were gently, wow, gently, releasing his wrists and resting on either side of his face.  
“ _Close your eyes.”_ He obeyed automatically.

And he felt a warm touch on his lips, the quiet sound of a kiss slowly being processed.  
_Oh._ Kirihara felt really dumb as realization set in, _that’s what’s going on,_ Hiyoshi like-liked him. Kirihara had always wondered what a kiss on the lips was like. _I’m not scared._ Of course he wasn’t scared. He would be interested, since he wasn’t a kid anymore. He even practiced on his hand a few times, but thought that the real thing probably felt different. But it had happened too fast, and it was nearly impossible to replay the sensation.  
Frustrated, he let himself be hugged. That’s cool. He hugged him back, distractedly grasping at the memory of the kiss, like a dream you forget as soon as you wake up.

Then it happened again.

His eyes closed again immediately, careful this time to better observe the experience. The lips were a little wetter, which felt a little more… Sparkly. The kiss lasted a little bit longer that time. Kirihara pulled away and opened his eyes. He felt waves running down his body. He licked his lips, and it was happening again, and it wasn’t bad, it was kind of fun, so it didn’t matter that it was Hiyoshi, that it was a boy, that–

He felt a tongue against his bottom lip. He shivered. His own mouth was pried open, and his friend’s tongue was inside his mouth, blindly and clumsily finding his own. This was very odd, and Kirihara wasn’t sure if he saw the appeal, but he found that he didn’t want to stop, either. They had a lot to learn. Their teeth bumped a few times, and if they didn’t separate every once in awhile to breathe and swallow, then it got a little messy. But hugging tighter made it feel better, and warmer, and more sparkly.

 _Wait, I’m supposed to do something with my hands, right?_ Kirihara thought. That seemed a little advanced, and they were already hugging, but he moved his hands to different parts of Hiyoshi’s back, spreading out his fingers and palms flat to press him closer.

Kirihara had no idea kissing was such a pleasant activity. His jaw was starting to hurt, but every time they tried to stop, one of them would say “one more,” and it wouldn’t be.

Finally Kirihara pushed away. He was sleepy. In their own beds, Hiyoshi still looked at him. He was smiling, sleepily, and said, “I wish I could still hug you,” his eyes starting to flutter in further exhaustion. His eyes were closed and he felt skinny limbs clambering over him, and a body was snuggling next to his over his quilt. Kirihara saw Hiyoshi smile and wondered if he was asleep yet. He tucked his head on his roommates shoulder and threw the quilt he brought from his own bed over himself. Adjusting, he threw an arm over Hiyoshi's rising chest and gave an awkward squeeze.

_What a cozy winter night._

* * *

 

Hiyoshi woke up very slowly. He had slept really, really hard, and his senses sleepily resisted the waking world.  
But he was warm. A little too warm. Then he smelled apple. Not like apple pie, but sweet, and clean. Were the shallow breaths he heard his own? He was too sleepy for questions.

Then something tickled his nose. This meant he HAD to open his eyes, and boy, did that wake him up. When his eyes met the world, all he saw was black. And shiny, and curly, and in his face. It was hair. Wait. It was hair.  
He blinked a few times, identifying the hair.

Wakashi Hiyoshi woke up the rest of the year sleeping Slytherins that morning.  
He sat up and shoved Kirihara off the bed as violently as he could. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He screamed, voice breaking in fury. “What the hell?” He screamed louder, angrier. Kirihara sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“WHY THE HELL AREN’T YOU WEARING CLOTHES?”  
Kirihara scrunched his face up, in pain from hitting the floor, “I got too warm, it’s just my shir—“  
“ARE YOU INSANE?” _This is it, he’s finally made me snap,_ Hiyoshi thought.  
He continued yelling, his hands pushing his hair back. He felt violated. Panicked. His voice was shrill,  
“I KNEW you were crazy. I knew that. But I didn’t know you were THIS FUCKING NUTS.”  
Kirihara looked at him, and he looked so… Hurt. And confused.

_Well that’s too damn bad!_

“This is the last straw, Kirihara. I can’t deal with your shit anymore. I can’t take it.” He didn’t care that Kirihara was looking angrier and angrier, his eyes scarier as they woke up. Hiyoshi wasn’t afraid. He could take him in a fight.  
As a matter of fact, he considered starting it.

“YOU said you wanted this. This is YOUR FAULT. FUCK YOU HIYOSHI,” Kirihara stood up clumsily, grabbing his school robes and shoes and stormed out, screaming another “fuck you,” slamming the door with a snarled spell.

His eyes. _They had tears?_

Hiyoshi sat in his bed, throwing off the second quilt he found, trying to make sense of everything.  
Was it just really cold last night? Still, not okay.

The smallest of memories started coming back. And then flooding back. And panic inhabited every cell in Hiyoshi’s body, because it wasn’t Kirihara that had been crazy, it was him. He had that chocolate. Fuji had a bowl of chocolates so it seemed safe, but it was probably Niou, it must have been, and it was a love potion, and Hiyoshi stood up and he was _pissed._ He kicked things around their room, preferring his fury over the panic. He was still mad at Kirihara for being such a freaking idiot, _because how couldn’t he tell it was a love potion?_

He felt so much anger that he didn’t know where to put it. This was a nightmare. It was impossible to fix this. He let his guard down, but he knew he was a victim, and that made it worse. _I didn’t want this. It’s not my fault. It’s not fair. It’s not fair!_ He had started saying it out loud, over and over in whispers. He even started feeling bad for Kirihara, which made him more furious.  
Once more, he screamed.

It was a Slytherin thing; nobody showed up to investigate this event. Those kinds of questions always came later, which gave Hiyoshi time to think. He spent so much time kicking the door in his room that morning that he kicked it down, and had to figure out the right spell to put it back. He missed breakfast, but made it to History of Magic just in time. He was waiting for the stabs of Kirihara’s weaponized eyes, but his roommate wasn’t even there.  

This sucked.

  



	7. Room Hates; Part 2

“Masaharu, you really gave a love potion to a first year?” Fuji had dragged Niou into Atobe’s room for Atobe to handle. Trying to live up to the task, legendary Slytherin second year Keigo Atobe held back a smile. 

Shusuke Fuji, for once, wasn’t smiling. 

* * *

The elder Fuji brother had been in the library before lunch, flipping through suspiciously obscure books beside the history shelves, when he suddenly saw Hiyoshi beelining toward him. He thought it curious, because though they were cordial, Fuji and the aloof 2nd year never spoke much.

“I… I have a question.” The stare Hiyoshi was giving him was more intense than his voice, but the boy’s sense of urgency was clear.   
Fuji pretended not to notice. “What is it?”   
“Did you give me chocolate last night?”

Fuji shook his head no. “Why do you ask?” He spoke as gently as always.   
Hiyoshi sighed and stood very tense. “Just so you know, Niou was pretending to be you and gave out love potions in the dorms disguised as chocolates. That’s all, bye.”

* * *

“He speed-walked away too fast, so I didn’t get anymore information.” Fuji hadn't at all considered going after him.

Atobe sat in an armchair he had in his room and folded his arms. “How many people?” he turned his inquiring look from Fuji to the accused.

“Just Hiyoshi! Honest.” 

The other two Slytherin second years stared at him.    
Mizuki walked in. Fuji groaned internally. “Couldn’t help but overhear?” Atobe asked. Mizuki just smiled, telling them that be was about to divulge something he thought was juicy.

“Akaya broke a bunch of brooms in his flying class today and lost 50 house points.”   
Atobe frowned. Everyone looked at Niou. He scrambled up from his French-Girl position on Atobe’s bed.   
“In my defense, I fully expected Akaya to come running out. How could I have known?”

“Wait. Wait.” Fuji’s voice was less soft, and Niou’s fear grew, wisely.

There was a knock on the door, and a voice interrupted “I found Kirihara,”   
“Come in.” Atobe beckoned Kite to join the exciting conversation. “I feel so attacked,” Niou whined. Kite was confused. So was everyone else.

“So,  _Masaharu_ , do tell.” Mizuki spoke first.   
Niou sighed. He was starting to get an idea of what must have happened, and the stares around him did not make this a fun story.

“So basically, I caught Hiyoshi on his way to his room right? And I thought hey I’ll give him this love potion to creep out Akaya and he’ll run out and we can all laugh hahaha!” 

Nobody was laughing. “It was a genius prank, come on.”   
They waited.

“Fine, so I was down the hall waiting but he never came out. And I couldn’t hear anything, either. So I figured that it didn't work and they were both asleep, so I went to bed.”

Atobe spoke next. “Then what on Earth happened to Kirihara?”

Niou rubbed his face. This was the hard part.   
“So this morning they were screaming, so I went to listen of course.”   
Mizuki nodded, “I used a listening spell. I believe key phrases were something like, ‘why aren’t you wearing clothes?’”

Atobe stopped him, “Wait, Hiyoshi wasn’t wearing clothes?” Niou shook his head. “No, it was Hiyoshi who was screaming.”

They were all silent for a bit.   
“When Akaya left, he screamed something like ‘you wanted this’” Mizuki added, quietly, before pressing his lips together, not smug about his information, almost... uncomfortable.

“And he was crying,” Niou admitted, wincing.

Previously speechless, they all looked alarmed at that. Akaya Kirihara… Crying?   
“Like, angry cryi-“   
Fuji spoke next, stone cold, slowly. “First years. They are 12. You know… My brother is a first year.”

The rest of them were completely silent. Everyone knew how Fuji got when Yuuta was mentioned.

“That’s pretty messed up, Niou.” Kite laughed.   
“Hiyoshi hates Kirihara, too. It makes a little more sense now, though. Kirihara asked me to teach him how to fight.”

Surprising even himself, Fuji laughed. Followed a few seconds by everyone else.   
“Like, fight without magic?”   
“Yes. Maybe he was afraid Hiyoshi was going to beat him up. Anyway, that’s why I’m here. This one—“ he gestured to Mizuki “—asked me to keep an eye out for him, but he came to me first.”

Atobe was thinking. “Did he say anything about it?”   
Kite shrugged. “No. I just told him no, and he ran away mad.”   
Mizuki tsked.  _Useless._

“Clearly Hiyoshi has figured it out, but who knows what’s going on in Kirihara’s head.” Atobe paused, eyebrows furrowing and lips tight, and he still looked graceful as always.  Then came a face of certainty and his eyes moved fast. Calm and clear,   
“Fuji, can you talk to him?”

"What?" Fuji preferred not getting involved with Atobe’s missions. This had nothing to do with him. “You’re the only one I can think of who could properly get this information from him. He’s more scared of me than you,” Atobe mused, knowingly.    
Fuji smiled gently. “I’ll do my best.” This was a pain in the ass, but he had gotten himself involved. All Fuji had to do was get Akaya to girl talk with him. He’d figure it out. Niou was usually the best Akaya handler, but obviously not in this case.

An hour later, the older Fuji was exiting the Slytherin common room like some pawn errand boy.   
He blinked hard and slow, reflecting on some sort of revenge he’d have to dole out soon. This was not in his plans for the day.   
With forced discipline, he softened his face, gave himself a smile to clear his mind, and set off on a hunt.


	8. An Empty Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas break at Hogwarts begin, and few are left behind, wondering how to keep themselves occupied in the days before Christmas.

Marui woke up early. Too early. They didn’t even have class.  
“It’s the first day of break and I’m up too damn early, Ootori. Come get breakfast with me.” He stood in the hall outside the boy’s room, but he could be heard. Ootori sighed internally. He hadn’t been asleep, either.  
“Can I come in?”   
Ootori mumbled a quick “Yeah!” _Of course!_ An automatic response. Marui entered and poked at his books. “It’s just you and me. And everyone studying for OWLs, but they don’t count.” He didn’t even know their names. He didn’t really know Ootori either, but he was a likable kid and they were more or less on comfortable terms.   
Ootori was glad he didn't have to wear robes, as his parents had packed him deliciously comfortable sweaters to wear that he had neglected all term. He wore a golden one, cable knit and loose on his skinny growing frame. "Nice. Hufflepuff, represent. Leggo." Marui started down the hall. Before following, Ootori glanced at the quiet, snow covered grounds beyond the circular stained glass window.

“Deserted, huh?” Marui mumbled while plopping down at the Hufflepuff table. They were the only two at the table. Perhaps it was early, but there were few others in the Great Hall. Marui frowned. “I hope they have chocolate muffins.”  
“Um, Marui…?” Marui was chewing on a scones that had appeared on the table before them a few seconds ago. Rather than the full, table wide spread that they were accustomed to, only a few plates of eggs, bacon, and pastries appeared. “You can call me Bunta,” Marui said, mouth full, trying to make the first year a little more comfortable around him.  
“I think everyone is sitting over there.”  
Well damn. Marui followed Ootori’s pointing to the Ravenclaw table beside them at the other end, and noticed that Hufflepuff upperclassmen were seated there as well. So few people stayed for the holidays that house separation fell to the winds. Ootori was quietly relieved. Marui was friendly and all, as of today, but his friend in Gryffindor stayed at Hogwarts just for him. He was glad that they’d be able to eat together without raising eyebrows. Shishido was nowhere to be seen quite yet, but it was only 7:30 AM. Awkwardly the younger Hufflepuffs made their way to sit next to their older housemates, who offered warm greetings. Marui had carried his scones along. The two seemed to be interrupting a conversation they couldn’t understand, so they ate in relative silence.

It wasn’t long before a very grumpy boy appeared, followed by a quiet boy in Ootori’s year. Ootori waved excitedly, to Marui’s surprise. _How does he know Gryffindors that I don’t?_ Shishido squinted and walked in their direction, but the younger of the two balked at the strange combination of houses. He followed Shishido’s certainty, wondering if it was because the second year was so sleepy or if he really thought this was okay.  
“Choutarou. MMmorning. Marui. Right?” Marui and Ootori just stared. Kaidoh sat next to Marui very hesitantly, painfully forcing the faintest smile but not making eye contact. Everyone was silent.

“What?”  
Shishido noticed the stares and furrowed his eyebrows, still drowsy. Ootori couldn’t stop himself, he was awake now and started laughing softly behind his hand.  
“Shishido, what happened to your hair?”  
Marui took this as permission to laugh as well, and Kaidoh looked down, unable to repress a real smile. Shishido woke up more at that, eyes widening.   
“What? What?” He started feeling at his head and blushed a little. He chided the boy across from him, “Why didn’t you tell me? Dammit Kaoru.” His voice was too sleepy to hold venom, and Kaidoh shrugged trying not to show his amusement. The embarrassed boy’s silky dark hair, which he usually wore in a long perfect ponytail, topped his head in a messy knot. Along his forehead strands stuck out bent, in every direction, and the knot itself was like a snowman toppling over. “At least nobody’s here!” the silver haired Hufflepuff first year gave Shishido a sympathetic look as he struggled to fix it. “Damn” he mumbled, “this morning has been so weird.” As Shishido failed to improve his situation, Marui stifled more laughs by stuffing his face with his favorite muffins, which the Ravenclaw table kindly generated. He was curious about this odd relationship, and for once stayed silent in effort to be a listener.

Ootori stood up, unable to witness his friend’s sleepy failure. He removed the hairband and used his wand, mumbling a neatening spell that was new the rest of them.   
“Nice, Ootori! Will that work on my room?” Marui swallowed quickly to ask.   
“I use it for optimizing my violin bow,” Ootori was sheepish at the attention, and honestly surprised the spell worked as a comb. Shishido looked a little concerned after that explanation. Ootori teasingly tied the hair up in a clean ballerina bun, something he’d done for his older sister back home for years. He patted Shishido’s head, satisfied at his handiwork. “All done.”

Shishido shook his head, but felt nothing hitting his neck. “Turn around,” Marui said, making himself comfortable by demanding something from the Gryffindor he just this morning spoke to for the first time. Shishido turned hesitantly and Marui applauded lightly.   
“Beautiful. Good look for you.”   
Ootori stifled a quiet laugh. A giggle, almost. Kaidoh noticed the tall kid’s gentle disposition and found himself surprised by it. He watched Shishido turn to the Hufflepuff, looking skeptical as the boy sat down, but he was all smiles and Shishido felt no need to act.

* * *

“Shiraishi,”  
“Mhm?” The boy’s ash blonde hair was similarly messy from sleep, but he was unbothered and graceful in his entrance. When he responded to Yagyuu, he knew what to expect from the next question.   
“Does it strike you is odd that they are at our table?”  
True. Upon further study, Shiraishi noticed that everyone sat at their table, none of them even Ravenclaws. “Wait. There are two.” Shiraishi looked closer, his friend was right. Two of their house’s upperclassmen were sat with some other kids they didn’t recognize. They did, however, recognize boys from their own year.

“I know them,” Shiraishi smiled warmly and took a seat by Shishido.   
“Welcome to Ravenclaw.” He winked.  
Soon to enter the hall behind them were two Ravenclaw first years. One incessantly commented on the oddity of the mixing, but the other beelined for the table in front of him. Unfortunately, Zaizen couldn’t escape his roommate no matter how hard he tried. He sat between Kaidoh and Yagyuu, and thought himself successful. “Weird of you to sit there Hikaru. Very odd to choose that spot when I arrived with you. It’s sort of petty. Why would you sit by a Gryffindor anyway-“ Shinji, who looked like some kind of haunting Snow White, droned on. Yagyuu coughed to try and interrupt.

Kaidoh abruptly stood after Zaizen settled himself. “No worries.” He spoke gruffly and and stalked off grumpily, exiting the Great Hall. If the combination of strangers wasn’t awkward enough, this compensated. Shinji sat next to Zaizen, poker faced but satisfied. Shiraishi delivered a muffin to his face before his monologue continued, and Zaizen gave his older friend a desperate, grateful stare.

“Welcome to Ravenclaw,” Yagyuu repeated smiling and Marui managed to laugh. This joint effort worked to dispel the awkwardness and Shiraishi made conversation with Shishido, as they had spent the summer together at the Oshitari home. The odd mix of them managed to talk about professors and classes, and they involved the first years to offer sage advice on the topic. Nobody spoke of Kaidoh’s exit, and their relaxed breakfast stretched on leisurely. No Slytherins at all came to the Great Hall, and no one commented on that, either.

* * *

“Akaya, what did you grab for us?” Niou lounged comfortably on a couch in a green lakelit common room. Mizuki sat upright, legs crossed in an armchair, with a quill and paper sat in his lap. He looked up expectantly at the scrambly boy with scrambly hair and a full tray of goods, too overwhelmed with the mountain in his arms to acknowledge anything else. The house elves loved this kid, and nobody knew why. Slytherins descended upon him to grab from the tray, with a shallow “Thanks, Kirihara!” Most of them returned to their rooms for breakfast in bed. Only Mizuki remained. He had distractedly grabbed only a scone, and lay focused on his papers. Akaya fiddled with the plate he was holding, wondering what to do with it for a bit before putting it right on the ground. He smiled at his own genius. _Chaotic,_ thought Mizuki, who was content to ignore him.

Mizuki put away his notes, which were full of secrets, and returned to his room. He wrote them in ancient runes, which he self studied before he could take the class formally. His room mate had gone home for the holidays, so he had the room to himself, thank goodness. Only Mizuki and Niou had stayed. He couldn’t figure out why Niou stayed (it was very hard to get anything out of him. Insanely frustrating, but very impressive.) But he was glad not to be alone.

Akaya had also stayed. Akaya Kirihara was their problem child. Well, that’s harsh. He wasn’t a problem necessarily, he was just a handful. And after what happened just a month ago? _The Chocolate Incident?_ Mizuki seemed to be the only one left that Akaya wanted to hang out with. But Mizuki was _far_ too busy to deal with Akaya’s shenanigans. The solution was obvious.  
Mizuki would just have to hang out with Niou.

And that’s how he found himself heading to that room, which he did not frequent by any means–since it also belonged to Fuji Shusuke. Fuji gave him Problems, and Mizuki learned in time to avoid him. That is, he sort of learned. It was hard to resist research opportunities.  
“Masaharu,” Mizuki stood in his doorway. Everybody called him Niou, and Mizuki knew that. But if it bothered Niou he’d never show it.  
“ _Puri.”  
_ The boy with a silver mane and sparkling eyes was gone and Mizuki saw only Fuji in one of his overrated grandmas maroon v-neck sweaters. _Nice attention to detail._ “Ah, what a warm welcome.” Niou didn’t have to ask, “What do you want?” because Mizuki, surely, would tell him.

“Are you bored yet?” Niou had to give him credit. Mizuki asked the right question. And he knew it, because the corners of his mouth turned and he curled his hair around a finger in satisfaction. “Interested in a game?”  
Niou, still Fuji, remained stretched out on his bed. He extended his arms, his way of asking Mizuki for elaboration. His eyebrows lifted at the suggestive angle of the question. Mizuki rolled his eyes. _Not that kind of game._

“Specifically, a wager.” Niou smiled, mischievous already. He liked that, and it showed. This was a guy who liked to stir shit up–But who was Mizuki to talk? Niou continued not to speak, but communicated his interest by looking like himself again. Mizuki, pleased with the cooperation, smirked deviously right back.

* * *

“I’m not sure you can pull it off.” Mizuki stalked around the room gracefully, picking up random books and trinkets, considering them half interestedly, while he spoke. Niou didn’t feed into his provocation, just as pleased knowing it would annoy _Hajime_ . The boy’s silk, black curls fit perfectly around his elegant fingers. That hair twirling he did was of infuriating fame, but Niou rarely let such things bother him.  
Mizuki kept waiting for Niou to speak, forgetting that he never let their conversations go as he planned.  
“...Get back in Akaya’s good graces.”  
Niou’s stilled expression perked a little. Mizuki faced him, narrowing his eyes with an even more shit-eating grin.   
“Without apologizing.” He added lightly with a flowery wave of one hand. His other was on his chin as he continued to slowly traipse around Niou and Fuji’s room, making himself right at home, since Niou wasn’t getting out of bed anyway.

Niou bit into another muffin thoughtfully. After swallowing, finally, his answer was a laugh. “Nah.”

Mizuki was taken aback. Niou continued.   
“There’s no way it would work. Kid might be a dumbass, but he hates me and that hate is powerful. I could do it, but it would have to involve an apology.” Mizuki nodded, taking this in. “Huh.” he tapped his chin like he was really thinking about it. Niou was bored of this game. Standing up, he stretched, the stretch in his voice, “I may have extra free time with no classes and an empty school, but it’s too soon to even bother with _that_.”  
Mizuki started laughing. Didn’t he know? _Hajime Mizuki plays the long game._  
“Who said it had to be done by the time classes resume?”  
Not missing a beat, Niou fired him a harsh smile.  
“You want me to commit to a long term project? That’s a lot of work. You said it’s a bet, what’s in it for me?”

Mizuki really did plan for it be a short term bet– this was on a whim, sort of. He hadn’t even thought of the terms yet. He decided to stall while he thought something up.  
“You say it’s a lot of work, but I think you _want_ his favor back. You’re fond of him.”   
Niou considered this, eating his muffin. Was he fond of little Kirihara? He did humor him a lot, mostly out of amusement. Niou really did feel bad about the whole chocolate incident, but never acknowledged his involvement. Neither had the first years. He wondered why Mizuki didn’t ask about his lack of an apology, since he obviously noticed.   
Niou swallowed again.  
“I’ll get back to you.” He shifted back into Fuji, opening blue eyes sharp as knives. “Now leave.”   
Mizuki shuddered a little before forcing a sweet smile. “I’ll be waiting,” he said, departing with newfound holiday cheer.

* * *

It was a Christmas miracle.

All alone, Akaya wandered the halls of Hogwarts castle, exploring and hoping to run into something interesting. He had been to the library. Boring. He had gone outside. Cold (which doesn’t bother him, but nobody else was there, so also boring). He had even told his woes to the ever busy house elves as they worked in the kitchens. 

“It’s not fair, Finky. Nobody in Slytherin is being nice to me. Even Hiyoshi won’t talk to me anymore, and Niou was my friend but since he utterly betrayed me I want him to die. I should hex him! I don’t know how… Finky do you know any hexes?”  
The sympathetic house elf shook her head no sympathetically as she washed a bowl. Akaya pouted.  
“I didn’t do anything wrong, but everyone is treating me like I did! Plus nobody is here and I’m bored. And lonely! Not that you’re bad company.” Finky smiled back knowingly. “But you’re so busy. You work so hard! But you still listen to me! You’re such a good friend.” Finky didn’t talk much, but Akaya was very kind to all of the house elves and liked to surprise them as they tried to be subtle in their work throughout the castle.  
Unfortunately, even the kitchens weren’t a suitable haven for the curly-headed first year. Finky whispered to Akaya a warning. His eyes glittered in alarm as he looked around frantically, tripping as he got off the counter as the figure approached.   
“Stop distracting Finky! Bad Akaya! Finky has to work! Finky, go! Akaya, go find your friends!” Akaya whined as he prepared to exit. “But Morty, I can’t find any friends,” he stuck his lip out at the head house elf, the mastermind behind his favorite delectable dinner rolls. Morty shook his head, almost a little soft for the boy. A bit pitying. The softness faded and Morty fired back.   
“Go Akaya! GO! Leave! Akaya go go go! Or no rolls for you! No rolls for Slytherin!” Akaya gasped. _Morty would never._ _  
_ “I’m sorry! I’m going Morty! Please make me rolls!” He whispered a bye to Finky before scurrying out the kitchens before Morty moved him physically. Getting pushed by a house elf was always a little uncomfortable.

Then, the miracle. It didn’t seem like one at first, though.  
Akaya was exploring a part of the castle where floors were made out of massive bricks, and he was trying to limit himself to one step per brick–a challenge that absorbed his focus. It was by chance that he passed a hallway just when another figure crashed into him, alarming the crap out of him and sending him to the floor cursing.  
“What the hell! Watch where you’re going!!!”   
“I could say the same exact thing. I was walking down this hallway and you just hopped in front of me. You weren’t aware of your surroundings, either. Perhaps you should be apologizing to me, but whatever. I don’t really care. I mean, I dropped my books. But I doubt you’d apologize. People never apologize when they’re supposed to. What? It’s true.”   
Shinji sat on the floor next to his books, put off by the intense way Akaya stared at him. His eyes were big enough without being wide with wonder.

At first, this guys talk pissed him off. But he surprised Akaya with the hard truth, it hit him deeply. “You’re… You’re right.” Akaya’s voice gained more confidence.   
“You’re right! People never apologize when they’re supposed to! It sucks!!!” Finally, somebody understood! Shinji blinked at him.   
“You haven’t apologized either, though.” Oh, shit. Oops. Akaya laughed it off.   
“Hehe, I guess you’re right. Sorry for crashing into you. Wait...Do I know you?”   
Wow. Kirihara actually apologized to him. Shinji was a bit surprised. It felt sort of wrong. He would be sure to communicate this.   
“I’m a little offended that you don’t know who I am. I know who you are. You’re Akaya Kirihara, and you’re in Slytherin, and you’re a first year like me.” Shinji stood up and gathered his books from the floor.   
“My name is Shinji Ibu. We have herbology together,” he added. He saw Akaya start to open his mouth and held out a hand unenthusiastically; “Don’t apologize again. It was weird enough the first time. You forgot me but I’m not really surprised, because you’re forgetful in class too.”   
Akaya closed his mouth. He wanted to be angry, but nothing this kid said was wrong, and he found himself too shocked to say something cutting or even defensive. He was shaken by this boy’s monotone wisdom. Was he really a first year too?

* * *

“I don’t understand why you’re following me, but I guess I don’t really mind. It is a little lonely since most people went home for Christmas, and Zaizen keeps running away, which is pretty rude, but I’m used to it.” Akaya practically skipped next to him. 

“You’re the first interesting thing.. person I’ve run into all break!” Shinji considered this.   
“It’s only the first day of break, but I’m flattered I guess. It would make more sense for you to hang out with other Slytherins, I would think. But maybe that’s none of my business. I can probably guess why though. You haven’t been talking to Wakashi Hiyoshi as much lately. I mean, he hasn’t really been talking as much to you either, but you always talk way more than him. So I guess something probably happened. I sort of wondered about it, but I forgot until now. But is he even here? I haven’t seen any Slytherins until you, actually. But it’s not likely that you’re the only one who stayed behind.”

As Shinji kept talking, Akaya listened enraptured. He was no longer bored. Are Ravenclaws really that smart? This guy understood everything and not in a Mizuki way. It was like he wasn’t even trying, but he still knew all this stuff. Akaya felt himself growing wiser just by listening, and it was way cooler than listening to that old ass ghost lecture in History of Magic, or in any of his classes really.  
“I’m going back to Ravenclaw though, so you’re going to have find something else interesting.” Akaya pouted. “Wait! I know.” He grinned conspiratorially,   
“ _You can sneak me into Ravenclaw!_ ”   
“Why are you whispering? The halls are empty. Well I guess there could be teachers. Anyway, no way. You can’t go to Ravenclaw, you’re a Slytherin. Bold of you to assume I’d bring you into my house even though you just learned my name.” Akaya ignored that last part. “Is that an official rule?” He frowned. Shinji probably knew best.

The boy’s dark straight hair covered his face and he was quiet for a bit as they walked down a wide corridor. “I guess I’m not sure if it’s an actual rule. I don’t know what would happen if I tried.” This gave Akaya some hope and he smiled again. “I bet you’re curious! Come on, it could be fun! Like a secret mission. And I bet nobody would care, ‘cause there’s no people here right now. Be adventurous Shinji!” He punched the boy in the arm, earning a sour look. Shinji sighed the longest sigh Akaya had ever heard.  
“Fine. BUT,” he glared at Akaya’s brightening expression. This guy was too much.   
“If something bad happens I’m blaming it on you entirely. And you’re not allowed to be mad if you get in trouble.” Akaya nodded aggressively.   
“It’s a deal!” Now he was really skipping. Shinji couldn’t believe he’d been talked into this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is kind of long! Next chapter ~also~ includes more of Shishido and Choutarou's bonding, and the happenings of Christmas and New Years.


End file.
